216 CAMPS IN THE CARIBBEES. 
were animated with the high resolve of saving the 
colony the expense of paying their owners. 
' At one time, having been driven from Owia, a 
point on the north-east side of the island, the Caribs 
executed a masterly retreat over the volcano, to the 
Caribbean coast, and committed great ravages; a 
party sent against them there was defeated. In all 
their battles they showed consummate skill and great 
bravery, seizing upon the most advantageous posi- 
tions, fortifying them and holding them to the last. 
The English were at first unfortunate in their gen- 
erals. One of them, “Sir Paulus Amilius Irving, 
Bart.,” who was pursuing the Caribs with a large 
body of troops, became frightened by a six-pounder 
ball passing near him, and ordered a retreat. Sub- 
sequently the English were nearly cut off, and lost 
several hundred men under this gallant general. 
The Indians understood and practiced the trick of 
posting their best shots in the tall trees, for the purpose 
of picking off the officers. At last there arrived the 
famous General Abercrombie, fresh from his capture 
of St. Lucia, who pushed the French and Caribs so 
hard, with his army of four thousand men, that they’ 
were obliged to surrender. The French and colored, 
officers and soldiers, were released on parole, with 
the privilege of returning to their own island; but 
the poor Caribs, thus abandoned, were allowed only 
unconditional surrender. Refusing these terms, most 
of them fled to the mountains, and in the dense forests 
found shelter for a long time, defeating several de- 
tachments of troops sent against them. 
Deprived of crops, and all provisions such as a 
successful foray could obtain, they were gradually 
‘ 
